Barry's Bespoke Bakery A short film by Denis McArdle

Ben Keenan & Denis McArdle

The Filmmakers

Michael Bates as Barry – IMDb

The Fastidious Baker

Michael recently appeared in the production of Tom Murphy’s The House at the Abbey Theatre. Other theatre work includes Oedipus the King, Agamemnon and Iphigenia at Aulis (Classic Stage Ireland at Project Arts Centre), the one man show Down By The River and Tic (Focus Theatre), The New York Monologues (Smock Alley and Focus Theatre), The Hostage (Wonderland Productions), Bouncers (Tivoli Theatre), Storytaker (Dublin Fringe Festival), I Do Not Like Thee, Dr. Fell and Kissin’ Tell (Andrews Lane), Strike (Beckett Centre and Axis Ballymun), Buskin’ (Tivoli and Cork Opera House), Annie (The Olympia), Stags and Hens and Are You Lonesome Tonite? (Level 3). Film and television credits include The Tudors and Aristocrats (BBC), 2 Tonne Hands (2 Tonne Films), True-D (Phoenix Artz),The Escapist (Sky Pictures), Fair City (RTÉ), Talk it Out (RTÉ Storyland), Frank! (IADT), Mystic Knights (Saban International), Primeval and Thirteen Steps Down (ITV), Mattie (Gable End Media), Titanic: Blood and Steel (Antena 3 Films) and Derelict(Frank Kelly). Barry’s Bespoke Bakery is the first Irish Film Board/RTÉ Short Short that he has worked on. Michael studied in Trinity College Dublin and has trained at the Focus Stanislavski Studio.

 

 

 

Steve Gunn as Brian – IMDb

The Placid Genius

Steve will soon be appearing as Bill Armstrong in the 12 Part TV Drama Series Titanic: Blood and Steel (D’Angelis Group/Epos Films) . His character is in a gang of riveters who are involved in the construction of the ship and the story returns to this bunch of men and their lives throughout the episodes.

Film ad TV credits include Davey Boy in Derelict (Frank Kelly), John K (Lead) in Opus K (Triptych Productions), Mick Dunne in Where The Sea Used To Be TooOldTooUgly Productions, Williams in Anton (Foxglove, I4I) and Alan (Lead) in This Time Around (Tailor Made Films) all feature films. Other credits include the Filmbase shorts Magic (Paper Street), Failte go hErin (Abu Media) and Tom Waits Made Me Cry (Big Bad Films).

Steve also appeared in the Abbey Theatre’s production of Pygmalion last summer as part of the ensemble. Other theatre credits include Roger in Mouth to Mouth by Kevin Eliot and Ben in Breathing Corpses by Laura Wade with Crooked House at Project. Gram in Trans Euro Express and Danny in Dedalus Lounge by Garry Duggan with Pageant Wagon which both toured. Laertes in Hamlet with A.C Productions performed in Hong Kong. David in Orange Flower Water with Riff Raff which also toured. Clanger in Those powerful Machines by Arnold Thomas Fanning with The Attic Studio at The New Theatre.

 

 

Denis McArdle, Writer & Director – IMDb

The Director

Denis graduated film studies at the IADT, Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art & Design, Dublin with his acclaimed short film Beyond Reach which received a cinema release. Denis became a documentary filmmaker notably with Poochers and The Nook produced for RTÉ and both screened in film festivals worldwide. Denis has written and directed numerous corporate films & TV commercials. In 1996 his Shell commercial was awarded best Irish commercial at the Kinsale advertising Festival. His Irish Film Board / RTÉ short film Burning the Bed received a UK nationwide cinema release in 2005.

Denis is also an accomplished baritone singer and he aims to provide the soundtrack to one of his next projects.

 

 

 

 

 

Producer Ben Keenan – IMDb

The Producer

Ben Keenan’s producer credits include The Chronoscope (funded by Wicklow County Council) and This is Not a Conspiracy Theory (RTÉ Storyland Web Series). Ben established, writes and produces for Half a Giraffe, a multi-platform sketch show.

You can follow his most current work here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Erica Ryan – IMDb

The Food Stylist

With a background in Art and Design, Erica Ryan moved into the area of food styling, covering all aspects of food promotion and development. Having cooked from a early age and with a passion for food, she also became involved with recipe and product development for some of the larger companies such as Unilever and Freshcut Food Services.

Now with twenty years of food styling experience behind her, she has covered a broad range of  work, from photography and commercials to television and film. Her understanding of all aspects of the job means that, whether for rebranding, a new product emerging onto the market or preparing a medieval banquet for film, the principles remain the same. Composition, colour, texture freshness and quality are all part of the criteria and appeal needed to best represent the product. Retaining this for the camera under lights is the skill she brings to the job.

She has worked on commercials for Superquinn, Centra, Dunnes and Tescos and well as the photography for the packaging of their own brand products. She has been involved with several cookbooks including The Baileys Cookbook, Oyster Cuisine (Mairin Ui Chomain), and more recently Good Mood Food with her nephew Donal Skehan.

Her latest television and film work includes the T.V. drama series Raw (RTE), Vexed (BBC), the cookery programme Kitchen Hero, Camelot, films The Honeymooners, This Must Be The Place, Albert Nobbs and Run and Jump currently being filmed in Wicklow.

 

Paul Kelly

The Pastry Chef

Paul Kelly is the award-winning executive pastry chef at the Five-Star Merrion Hotel in Dublin. Working with Erica Ryan, he created and designed many of the beautiful pieces featured in the film. Paul is also the creator of the Art Tea selection at The Merrion, each bespoke piece inspired by different art on display in the hotel. He has designed several signature desserts at the Merrion Hotel and lectures in Pastry and Culinary Arts at the Dublin Institute of Technology.